Beer prices are going to rise and it's all Brexit's fault

I’ve seen news reports that Heineken and Carlsberg will follow Carling and Budweiser in increasing their prices because the pound has fallen since the EU vote, which is generally putting pressure on costs across the economy, writes Neville Grundy.

The British Beer and Pubs Association says that the depreciation of sterling will cause inflation, adding that “higher inflation will also lead to higher levels of indexation for taxes like beer duty, creating a vicious circle when it comes to cost pressures, which is why we are urging the Chancellor to cut beer duty on a pint by one penny in the budget”.

As drivers already know to their cost, the price of fuel has noticeably increased recently.

This is mainly because it is priced in dollars, against which the pound has fallen 18% since the EU vote.

Smaller brewers move beer in much lower quantities than large breweries, so rising fuel prices will have a disproportionate effect upon their transport costs, meaning that they’ll either have to charge more for their beer, or go under.

Unfortunately, it’s likely that, unless the Chancellor cuts beer duty again, we will see higher prices and some small brewery closures.

It’s welcome news, at a time when British pubs are closing every week, that Marston’s has been granted planning permission to build a new pub, called The Mad Duke, next to Tesco in Kew.

While it will be food-led, it will still be a fully licensed pub serving real ale aimed, Marston’s say, mainly at “business people, the more mature diner, and families” with a play area for children outside.

Marston’s other newly-built pub in Southport is the Guelder Rose, which opened in 2013.

Camra nationally has announced the recruitment of its 185,000th member at the recent Manchester Beer and Cider Festival, placing it among the top membership organisations in the UK, and bigger than all main political parties except for Labour.

With nearly 10,000 new recruits every year, Camra is a major force in campaigning for real ale, protecting pubs from closure, keeping beer affordable and promoting the well-being benefits of visiting your local.